Michael McLeod, acquitted in the 2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault case, is set to return to the NHL with the Carolina Hurricanes, per David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period.
McLeod, along with Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Cal Foote, and Dillon Dube, was found not guilty in July, and the NHL reinstated them, allowing team signings from October 15, though they are suspended until December 1 and cannot train with teams until November 15. Selected 12th overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 2016 NHL Draft, McLeod played six seasons with the Devils, amassing 56 goals and 56 assists in 287 games.
In 2023-24, he set a career-high with 10 goals in 45 games before taking a leave in January 2024 due to the charges. With Carolina’s center positions filled by Sebastian Aho, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and Jordan Staal, McLeod may play on the fourth line or shift to the wing.
The Hurricanes, who lost Jack Roslovic (22 goals last season) in free agency, see McLeod as a potential replacement, though his impact remains uncertain after a year away from the NHL.
